Ubuntu – Best VNC/remote desktop application

I have the same issue. I don't know how to fix it, but I came up with a decent work-around. I added a launcher on the top panel to switch to the Metacity window manager.

1. Right click on the panel and click "Add to Panel..."
2. Choose "Custom Application Launcher" and click "Add"
3. Type whatever you want for the name. I called it "Metacity"
4. Type "metacity --replace" (without the quotes) for the command
5. Optionally fill in the comment box and choose an icon (I used vinagre.png since I run it from VNC)

When I log in remotely, the first thing I do is click the Metacity launcher, and the screen starts updating correctly.

I have fusion-icon installed, so I use it to switch back instead of making a launcher for Compiz. If you want to use a launcher to switch back to Compiz, follow the same steps for Metacity, but use the command "compiz --replace".

If you're planning on providing assistance to someone who is not very computer savvy, TeamViewer is going to make your life far easier. Yes, it is a closed-source commercial product – but the magical sensation you feel when establishing a connection using only an ID number makes it all well worth it.

For a while you might think you can pull off carefully setting up a VNC server and the required firewall/NAT rules to be ready for future support sessions, but it won't do you any good the day that your friend in need of assistance has changed their network setup or broken their server configuration by following some Hoary Hedgehog how-to.

It's pretty hard to get this part wrong:

With most of my clients, I don't even have them try to install TeamViewer. Session initiation looks like this:

1. At teamviewer.com/download, click the button beneath "TeamViewer QuickSupport".
2. Click Run.
3. Read me the ID and password.